ap government: chapter 5 - mr. waddell
TRANSCRIPT
APGovernment:Chapter5
CivilRights
Isanincreaseinthescopeofgovernmenttoprotectsomepeople’srightsanunacceptablethreattotherightsof
others?
CivilRights=Policiesdesignedtoprotectpeopleagainstarbitraryordiscriminatorytreatmentbygovernment
officialsorindividuals
CivilRightsandCivilLiberties
• MostAmericansfavorequalityintheabstractyettheconcretestruggleforequalrightsundertheConstitutionhasbeenournation’smostbitterbattle
• ThosepeoplewhoenjoyprivilegedpositionsinAmericansocietyhavebeenreluctanttogivethemup
EqualityDebates
Discriminationbasedonrace,age,gender,disability,sexualorientation,andthedisenfranchised
EqualityintheConstitution?
EqualityofopportunityisnotintheoriginalConstitutionortheBillofRights
• 14thAmendment(1868):forbidsstatesfromdenyingtoanyone“equalprotectionofthelaw”
Theimportanceofthe14thAmendment
• TheCourtdidn’tusetheamendmenttocreateequalityinsocietyuntilalmost100yearslaterto“unshackledisadvantagedgroups”
• HasbecomethevehicleformoreexpansiveConstitutionalinterpretations
TwocenturiesofStruggle
14thAmendment:LevelsofScrutiny
Threelevelsofscrutiny:
1. Reasonable—Beararationalrelationshiptosomelegitimategovernmentalpurposeareconstitutional(I.e.votingage)
14thAmendment:LevelsofScrutiny
14thAmendment:LevelsofScrutiny
AfricanAmericans’StruggleforEqualityinAmerica
1.TheEraofSlavery
• 1600’s–1865– DredScottv.Sandford
(1857)• Slaveshadnorights.• InvalidatedMissouriCompromise
– TheCivilWar– TheThirteenth
Amendment• RatifiedafterUnionwontheCivilWar
• Outlawedslavery
Race,theConstitution,andPublicPolicy
2.TheEraofReconstructionandResegregation
– JimCroworsegregationallaws• RelegatedAfricanAmericanstoseparatefacilities
– Plessyv.Ferguson(1896)• Upheldtheconstitutionalityof“equalbutseparateaccommodations”
3.TheEraofCivilRights
• Brownv.BoardofEducation(1954)• OverturnedPlessy• Schoolsegregationinherently
unconstitutional• Integrateschools“withall
deliberatespeed”LittleRock9(1957)
• CivilRightsAct(1964)• VotingRightsActof1965• SchoolBusing(1971)
– Busingofstudentssolutionfortwokindsofsegregation:• dejure,“bylaw”• defacto,“inreality”
CivilRightsActof1964• Maderacialdiscriminationillegalinhotels,motels,restaurants,andother
placesofpublicaccommodation• Forbadediscriminationinemploymentonthebasisofrace,color,national
origin,religionorgender• Createdthe(EEOC)EqualEmploymentOpportunityCommissionto
monitorandenforceprotectionsagainstjobdiscrimination• Providedforwithholdingfederalgrantsfromstateandlocalgovernments
andotherinstitutionsthatpracticedracialdiscrimination• Strengthenedvotingrightslegislation• AuthorizedtheUSJusticeDepartmenttoinitiatelawsuitstodesegregate
publicschoolsandfacilities
VotingRightsActof1965
• AlawdesignedtohelpendformalandinformalbarrierstoAfricanAmericansuffrage.
• HundredsofthousandsofAfricanAmericanswereregistered,andthenumberofAfricanAmericanelectedofficialsincreaseddramatically.
GettingandUsingtheRighttoVote
– Suffrage:thelegalrighttovote– FifteenthAmendment:extendedsuffragetoAfricanAmericans
– PollTaxes:smalltaxesleviedontherighttovote– WhitePrimary:Onlywhiteswereallowedtovoteinthepartyprimaries.
GettingandUsingtheRighttoVote
– Smithv.Allwright(1944):endedwhiteprimaries– Twenty-fourthAmendment:eliminatedpolltaxesforfederalelections
– Harperv.VirginiaStateBoardofElections(1966):nopolltaxesatall
– VotingRightsActof1965:helpedendformalandinformalbarrierstovoting
CivilRightsAmendments
LISTANDANALYZE:• 13th:• 14th:• 15th:• 19th:• 24th:
MajorMinoritiesintheUnitedStates
• Caucasians=69%• HispanicAmericans=13%• AfricanAmericans=12%• AsianAmericans=4%• NativeAmericans=1%• TheUnitedStatesisheading
toaMinorityMajority=therewillbemoreminoritiesthanCaucasiansinyourlifetime
WomenandtheConstitution
19thAmendment(1920)• EqualRightsAmendment
(ERA)Congresspassedin1972butitwasthreestatesshortbytheexpirationin1982
• ReedV.Reed(1971)Anyarbitrarygenderbasedclassificationviolatedthe14thAmend
• Firsttimedeclaredanylawunconstitutionalonbasisofgenderdiscrimination
• CraigV.Boren(1976)“mediumscrutiny”standardestablished
• Genderdiscriminationneithervalidnorinvalid
• Courtsaidtheremustbean“exceedinglypersuasivejustification”foranygovernmenttoclassifypeoplebygender
• CivilRightsAct(1964)bannedgenderdiscriminationinemployment
• WomenintheWorkplace– TheCivilRightsActof1964bannedgenderdiscriminationin
employment.
• WageDiscriminationandComparableWorth– TheSupremeCourthasnotruledonthisissue.
• WomenintheMilitary– Onlymenmaybedraftedorserveingroundcombat.
• SexualHarassment– ProhibitedbyTitleVIIofCivilRightsActof1964
Women’sLaws• TitleIXoftheEducation
Actof1972• PregnancyDiscrimination
Actof1978:forbidsgenderdiscriminationinfederallysubsidizededucationprograms
• 1996SupremeCourtdecidedthatsinglegenderschoolingviolateswomen’srighttoequalprotectionofthelaw
WomenintheMilitary
• Womenarenowpartoftheregularservicesince1975
• Makeup15%intheArmedforces
• Discrepancies:1.Onlymenmustregisterforthedraft2.Prohibitswomenfromservingincombat(today=nogroundcombatinArmyandMarines)
NewlyActiveGroupsunderCivilRights
• GrayLiberationMovement
• PeoplewithDisabilities
• GayandLesbianRightsGroups
Howhascivilrightshelpedthesegroups?
GayandLesbianRights– Bowersv.Hardwick(1986)– Lawrencev.Texas(2003)
• OverturnedBowers• PrivatehomosexualactsareprotectedbytheConstitution
– Gaymarriage• Manystateconstitutionsamendedtoprohibitpractice
AffirmativeAction…
APolicydesignedtogivespecialattentiontoorcompensatorytreatmentformembersofsomepreviouslydisadvantagedgroup
• AccordingtotheSupremeCourt,isaffirmativeactionconstitutional?
• Ineducation– RegentsoftheUniversityofCaliforniav.Bakke(1978)
• Racialsetasidesunconstitutional• Racecouldbeconsideredinadmissions
– Grutterv.Bollinger(2003)• Racecouldbeconsidereda“plus”inadmissions
AffirmativeAction…• Inemployment– UnitedSteelworksv.Weber(1979)
• Quotastoremedypastdiscriminationareconstitutional.
– AdarandConstructorsv.Pena(1995)• Tobeconstitutional,affirmativeactionmustbe“narrowlytailored”tomeeta“compellinggovernmentalinterest.”
• Didnotbanaffirmativeaction,butseverelylimiteditsreach